“Conspiracy Theory”: Foundations of a Weaponized Term | Global Research http://www.globalresearch.ca“Since the 1960s the label has become a disciplinary device that has been overwhelmingly effective in defining certain events off limits to inquiry or debate. Especially in the United States raising legitimate questions about dubious official narratives destined to inform public opinion (and thereby public policy) is a major thought crime that must be cauterized from the public psyche at all costs.”

Truth is often obscured in the convoluted world of fake and real opposition to capitalism’s crimes against humanity. The above quote is from an article by Prof. James H. Tracy whose blog (http://memoryholeblog.com) seems to have many right-wing admirers. However, one reader makes the point that “…the ability of the wealthpower(sic) ones (i.e. the guilty perpetrators of, say, political assassinations or terrorist acts – DW) … to conceal their true identities and deeds IS ALWAYS going to exceed YOUR ability to discover and expose their true identities and deeds.” Unfortunately, he may be right. Trying to get at the truth about JFK or 911 may be as futile as arguing about the existence of God.

However, the value of conspiracy theorizing lies in its recognition that the mainstream media’s vision of reality is comprised of – not a haphazard collection of facts presented for our enlightenment, but – a carefully-orchestrated interpretation of events that may or may not be real. History provides numerous examples. The right mystifies the perpetrators (“Masons, Jews, One World Government, Zionists, the Illuminati”) whereas the left has a more prosaic view: the capitalist class and their toads. Disseminators of the “Masons/Illuminati/Jewish Bankers/Reptilian Aliens” explanation seek to mold people’s natural skepticism about the true nature of world events to the further uses of capital – in this case by disorientation and mystification. For a breath of fresh air, and indications of what kind of forces really lie behind terror and assassination, take a look at a socialist program: it’s based on a set of clear demands designed to meet the material needs of working people. There’s no mention of Masons, Illuminati, etc. because socialists recognize that there’s only one conspiracy that matters: class rule.